Ground was broken in a small ceremony on 12 September 2009 after a new site was selected. Previously ground had been broken on 9 June 2007 by Spencer V. Jones,[1] excavation was halted because of opposition from Tegucigalpa city officials and citizens, who felt the temple would overshadow and block the view of the Catholic Our Lady of Suyapa Basilica on adjacent land. After negotiations failed to resolve the issue, the church announced on Wednesday, 28 January 2009, that out of respect for the city officials and citizens, the church would relocate the temple.[2]
The temple was announced in a letter to local church leaders 9 June 2006; and later in a press release published 24 June 2006.[3] Ceremonial groundbreaking and dedication were held at a site located in eastern Tegucigalpa, near the Basilica de Suyapa, on 9 June 2007,[4] but the church later announced that the temple would be built at a new site.[5]
On 28 January 2009, the LDS Church announced that due to objections from the local government, the proposed temple would no longer be located at the previously designated site. The primary reason for the relocation was due to a belief, widely held by members of the Tegucigalpa city council, that the temple would overshadow the local basilica. The church had all the primary permits secured, but out of respect for the strong feelings of those involved, the church decided to seek a new location.[6][7] The temple was to be built adjacent to an LDS Church Institute of Religion. Excavation had begun before the church ceded to pressure to relocate the building.[8][9] Church officials decided to move the temple in order to avoid confrontation.[10][11][12]
The plans to build a temple in Tegucigalpa were announced by the LDS Church to local church leaders on June 9, 2006.[13] The original groundbreaking and site dedication was on 9 June 2007, by Spencer V. Jones, a member of the church's Second Quorum of the Seventy and president of the church's Central America Area.[5]
On December 11, 2012, the church announced an open house from February 9 through March 2, 2013. The temple was dedicated on March 17, 2013 by Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the church's First Presidency.[14][15]
In 2020, the Tegucigalpa Honduras Temple was closed temporarily during the year in response to the coronavirus pandemic,[16] but is now operational again.[17]
^No hubo acuerdo con la Iglesia Católica (Spanish)[dead link] This news story contains a letter from Nery Rodriguez, Director of Public Affairs for the LDS Church in Honduras, explaining why the church will not be building at the original site.[citation needed]
^Campbell, Joel (January 31, 2009). "Media distorts story about Honduras Temple". Random observations (Report). Mormon Media Observer. Mormon Times (Deseret News). Retrieved 2012-10-30.
